I Admire Your Stubbornness
by SymmetricallyImperfect
Summary: McKirk, Fluff, Oneshot- Bones get ill and, after trying hard to remain stubborn, reluctantly allows Jim to care for him.


**A/N: Credit to themarauderbandit who co-wrote this with me on omegle~**

All physicals are cancelled for this and next week. -LM

Can I ask why or should I not look a gift horse in the mouth? -JK

The CMO intending to conduct them has gotten a cold. -LM

Hmm and what if I get sick doctor? You know maybe you should give me a physical. Just in case ;) -JK

I'm miserable and I'm sick and I don't have time to flirt with you, Jim. -LM

Aw :( Would you like me to come and see you? I'm sure I can get Spock to cover on the bridge. -JK

Let me repeat: I'm miserable and I'm sick and I don't have time to flirt with you. -LM

No, I was being serious. You know I make a mean chicken soup, and I promise no flirting. Scouts honor. -JK

I'd rather just sleep. -LM

Oh okay, well you know if you need me and that :/ -JK

I won't need you. -LM

Fine, whatever Bones. I was only trying to help, but I see my help isn't good enough. -JK

I am a /doctor/, I don't need help. -LM

Well company then, you can't be on your own forever Bones. -JK

It's one day. I'm off for one day. -LM

I know, but I'll miss you :'( -JK

I see you every day of my life. -LM

Any it's still not enough right :') -JK

Jim, I'm /sick/. -LM

I know that Leonard, and yes I'm using your name because I'm trying to be a good friend here but you keep pushing me away. -JK

Can I just sleep? Kinda miserable. It's a bad cold. -LM

Okay, If that's what you need. Text me when you wake though, I could make you my famous soup. -JK

I'm really not hungry. At all. -LM

Jim sighed and glanced at his communicator. Damn Bones was stubborn, maybe a surprise visit would cheer him up. "Spock can you take over for me. Just for ten or fifteen minutes." Jim didn't wait for a reply, he just got up and headed to Bones quarters. He knocked on the door, plastering on his trademark grin.

For a long time, Bones had thrashed around in his bed, his nose plugged up, his throat burning at merely opening his mouth, a headache plaguing the back of his mind, his head pounding harshly in his skull, though he curled up in the blankets. Sweat clung to his skin, fever spiking up, as he fought to get comfortable enough to sleep. Of course, the captain wasn't making it very easy, but just as his eyes fluttered closed, feeling tired and a hell of a lot worse than he ever had in his life, there was a knock at his door. He couldn't help but groan, literally sliding out of bed, only to be hunched over in coughs, as he stumbled towards the door, punching the button, and sagging across the doorway, glowering. "I swear to God- I am so tired, Jim, I will literally murder you."

Jim tried not to let his grin fall. Okay so maybe Bones wasn't up for an impromptu appearance from yours truly, /and/ he did sound like hell. "Bones please, I just want to help. Let me in, if I get to annoying you can tell me to leave and I will."

Shrugging his shoulders, too exhausted to really care, he turned and flopped back into bed, curling up, and sniffling miserably, knuckling tiredly at his eyes, yawning, only to flinch when his throat began to burn horribly. Burrowing under the blankets, only to shuddered, another wave of unbearable flashes of feverish heat running over him, until he writhed around again, twisting onto his stomach, hugging the pillows, curling up under the blankets. He sneezed pitifully, turning to look tiredly up at Jim, his head making the room spin around him, headache pounding in his ears, groaning - it was no wonder he couldn't get comfortable.

Jim bit his lip, he hadn't noticed how ill his friend had got. Why hadn't he noticed. Shutting the door behind him, Jim took a glass from the side of Bones' bed and filled it up with fresh water from the doctor's bathroom. "Drink this" He commanded and headed back to the bathroom, picking up a flannel and running it under the tap. "Oh and put this on your forehead." Leaning over Bones he plumped up his pillows and shook out his blanket. "There, hat should be cooler, do you need any more tissues?"

Twisting again, he pushed himself up onto his elbows, sipping cautiously, though it earned him a grimace, his face screwing up into a look of pain, quickly setting the glass down again. Placing the cloth onto his forehead, he sat up, drawing his knees to his chest, and curling against the wall, onto to shudder harshly, wrapping his arms around himself, and drawing the blankets near again, his body temperature all over the place. Coughing roughly, he huddled over, threading his fingers through his dampened hair, eyes trailing back to Jim. "No, I'm fine," his voice was nasally, horse, and he was still shivering, his teeth chattering slightly, though with his fever, he reluctantly kept the cloth cooling his head.

Jim smiled softly, "Your stubbornness is something I've always admired in you Bones." Jim sat himself on the edge of the bed and cautiously began running his fingers through Bones' hair, not wanting to get his hand bitten of- maybe literally, massaging gently.

Leaning tiredly into the touch, Bones hunched over, his burning forehead hitting Jim's forehead tiredly, simply melting against the captain, his entire body trembling in the cold, though his fever was raging - it seemed that when the doctor got sick, he go unbearably so, breathing ragged, struggling to fill his aching lungs with air while his nose was plugged, and sucking in a breath with his throat was the most painful thing on the planet. "Yes, quite wonderful, isn't it?" His body ached, and he was exhausted, and there was the opportunity to rest, tucking himself under the blankets, while still resting against Jim, eyelids fluttering tiredly closed, though he stopped them before they could go all the way. "I'm glad /you/ at least enjoy it."

"Quite strength you have doctor, even in sickness you can remain so beautifully stubborn." Jim etched further onto the bed, lying down fully now. "Oh and I do enjoy it, very much." He grinned broadly and curled closer around his friend, still threading his fingers through his hair.

"Not very stubborn right now, am I?" Was all he muttered, turning into Jim, his head resting across his chest, tucking his feet up again, so that they were resting against the Captain's shins, fighting fiercely to stay awake for the man he was about to sleep against, sniffling miserably. "If you get sick," Bones muttered, stifling a fit of those ragged coughs into his arm, energy literally drawing away from him by the second, "don't worry - you're not allergic to the hypos, and I'd take care of you, anyways." God, it was so warm again, and he was covered in sweat, but he was too tired to move away from Jim, entire body relaxing. "M'tired..."

"No, but you are very ill. You should've told me if I was working you too hard, I know these last months have been tough. What with three of our medics off." Jim let his hand drift down to the small of Bones' back, tracing invisible lines, resting his head on top of his friend's. "Don't worry about me getting sick, I have a very good doctor to look after me you know." Jim watched at Bones tried to bite back a nasty looking coughing fit. "Bones, sleep. That's an order okay."

Drawing in a slow breath, trying not to upset his throat any more than he already had, he nuzzled into Jim's neck, knowing he'd need the warmth later, when the flashes of heat disappeared - this, he mused, was much easier than trying to sleep alone. "I've been fine," he whispered, soothed instantly by the circles rubbed at his back, not even trying to fight back the exhaustion, the fatigue any longer, "I can handle the medbay by myself, if I needed to..." It took no extra persuading, however, and he probably wouldn't have needed it to be an order, the way he drifted into unconsciousness in mere seconds, shivering slightly, though he was considerably more comfortable in Jim's arms, a weak smile playing at his lips, though they parted so that he could breathe through his mouth, rather than his nose.

Smiling at Bones mid-sentence drop, Jim took to closing his own eyes and snuggled even closer to his sick friend. "See, however stubborn you maybe Leonard McCoy. I will always take care of you."

It wasn't much later that Spock, immediately knowing where Jim would be and deliberating using his spare key to Bones' quarters (he wasn't usually one for trespassing), found the pair clinging to each other as if scared they would be separated. With a small smile, Spock closed the door quietly and returned to the bridge, informing the crew that the captain and medic were not to be disturbed.


End file.
